Real Madrid’s Champions League hoodoo faltered Wednesday on a frantic, grueling night across town, but somehow survived a first-minute sucker punch, a missed Vinicius Jr. penalty and a wild shootout.
It was tested by Atlético Madrid, by Diego Simeone’s valiant warriors. It was pushed to the brink over 120 brutal minutes.
But Real Madrid, the eternal Champions League champions, found a way, and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they’ll face Arsenal.
They found some luck, as they always seem to do, in a penalty shootout, after regulation had ended 1-0 to Atlético, 2-2 on aggregate. In the second round of kicks from the spot, Atleti’s Julián Alvarez slipped, and still scored … but replays apparently showed that his plant foot had barely clipped the ball as he rocketed it into the roof of the net. Video assistant referees disallowed the conversion.
Jan Oblak, Atleti’s stoic keeper, made a clutch save to give the hosts life. But Real Madrid’s magic reigned. In the fourth round, Atleti’s Marcos Llorente spanked his shot off the crossbar. In the fifth, Antonio Rüdiger scored — off the palms of Oblak and into the side netting.
And Los Blancos pranced around the field, still alive, still the kings of Europe until further notice.
